Basi is a traditional Lao ceremony. It usually takes place to celebrate special events such as a marriage, a house warming, a birth, etc. This event is the hand-over of the new Simmano Library and IT center, September 2006. Strings are put on the wrists of all people wanting to make good wishes. The ceremony is usually followed by a big lunch or dinner, lots of food (deep-fried Mekong fish, papaya salad and other Lao delicacies), lots of beer (Beer Lao is famous in Southeast Asia), lao-lao (a 160 proof rice alcohol), some dancing of course is appropriate, always with loud live music.

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